The paper discusses the ability of recognition models to classify malodours in the environment three years after their calibration, with the same sources releasing odours. Two methodologies applicable ... [more ▼]

The paper discusses the ability of recognition models to classify malodours in the environment three years after their calibration, with the same sources releasing odours. Two methodologies applicable either in the lab or in the field are used. The effect of the long term drift of the sensors is highlighted on the results of principal component analysis and of discriminant function analysis. The paper examines also the applicability of some drift counteraction methods proposed in the literature. Handled with some care, a correction based on the drift direction in the principal components subspace should be applicable to the classification of real odorous sources in the field. [less ▲]

Targeting of tumoral tissues is one of the most promising approaches to improve both the efficacy and safety of anticancer treatments. The identification of valid targets, including proteins specifically ... [more ▼]

Targeting of tumoral tissues is one of the most promising approaches to improve both the efficacy and safety of anticancer treatments. The identification of valid targets, including proteins specifically and abundantly expressed in cancer lesions, is of utmost importance. Despite state-of-the-art technologies, the discovery of cancer-associated target proteins still faces the limitation, in human tissues, of antigen accessibility to suitable high-affinity ligands such as human mAb bound to bioactive molecules. Terminal perfusion of tumor-bearing mice or ex vivo perfusion of human cancer-bearing organs with a reactive biotin ester solution has successfully led to the identification of novel accessible biomarkers. This methodology is however restricted to perfusable organs, and excludes most of the tissues of interest to targeted therapies, e.g. primary breast cancer and metastases. Herein, we report on the development of a new chemical proteomic method that bypasses the perfusion step and thus offers the potential to identify accessible molecular targets in virtually all types of animal and human tissues. We have validated our new procedure by identifying biomarkers selectively expressed in human breast carcinoma. Overall, this powerful technology may lay the ground not only for custom-made therapies in cancer, but also for the development of therapies that need to be selectively delivered in a specific tissue. [less ▲]

ABSTRACT: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) represents a category of lymphoid neoplasms with unique features, notably the usual scarcity of tumour cells in involved tissues. The most common subtype of classical HL ... [more ▼]

ABSTRACT: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) represents a category of lymphoid neoplasms with unique features, notably the usual scarcity of tumour cells in involved tissues. The most common subtype of classical HL, nodular sclerosis HL, characteristically comprises abundant fibrous tissue stroma. Little information is available about the protein composition of the stromal environment from HL. Moreover, the identification of valid protein targets, specifically and abundantly expressed in HL, would be of utmost importance for targeted therapies and imaging, yet the biomarkers must necessarily be accessible from the bloodstream. To characterize HL stroma and to identify potentially accessible proteins, we used a chemical proteomic approach, consisting in the labelling of accessible proteins and their subsequent purification and identification by mass spectrometry. We performed an analysis of potentially accessible proteins in lymph node biopsies from HL and reactive lymphoid tissues, and in total, more than 1400 proteins were identified in 7 samples. We have identified several extracellular matrix proteins overexpressed in HL, such as versican, fibulin-1, periostin, and other proteins such as S100-A8. These proteins were validated by immunohistochemistry on a larger series of biopsy samples, and bear the potential to become targets for antibody-based anti-cancer therapies. [less ▲]

Matrix metalloproteinases (matrixins) constitute a group of extracellular proteinases belonging to the metzincin superfamily. They are involved in both physiological and pathological tissue remodeling ... [more ▼]

Matrix metalloproteinases (matrixins) constitute a group of extracellular proteinases belonging to the metzincin superfamily. They are involved in both physiological and pathological tissue remodeling processes, including those associated with cancer progression. Stromelysin-3, which is expressed in most invasive human carcinomas, is a matrix metalloproteinase with unusual functional properties. In particular, its mature form does not cleave any of the major extracellular matrix components. To define critical structural determinants involved in controlling stromelysin-3 proteolytic activity, we have used site-directed mutagenesis. We show that the deletion of at least 175 C-terminal amino-acids is sufficient to endow mouse stromelysin-3 with activities against casein, laminin, and type IV collagen. In the case of the human enzyme, however, a further and single Ala-235 Pro substitution is necessary to observe similar activities. Ala-235, which characterizes human stromelysin-3 among matrixins, is located immediately after the C terminus of the “Met-turn,” which forms a hydrophobic basis for the catalytic zinc atom in the metzincin family. We conclude that human stromelysin-3 has gained specific functional properties during evolution by amino acid substitution in the catalytic zinc environment, and that it represents an attractive target for specific inhibitors that may be used to prevent cancer progression. [less ▲]

in Proceedings of the 2006 International Conference on Noise and Vibration Engineering (2006, September)

Structural non-linearities are becoming of increasing importance in determining the performance of a range of vibrating mechanical structures. As a consequence, the identification of systems with non ... [more ▼]

Structural non-linearities are becoming of increasing importance in determining the performance of a range of vibrating mechanical structures. As a consequence, the identification of systems with non-linearities is starting to become a necessary part of vibration testing procedures. NL-RDM (Non-Linear Resonant Decay Method) is an approach for the identification of non-linear multi-degree of freedom systems in modal space on a mode by mode basis, using an appropriated sine excitation to isolate modes or groups of modes. However, the application of NL-RDM to a multi-degree of freedom system with a discontinuous free-play non-linearity has not been attempted yet, except to treat it using high order polynomial terms. The difficulty of using NL-RDM when seeking a discontinuous free-play model lies in the choice of the so-called underlying linear model to be used in uncoupling the linear equations. In this paper, a simulated two degree of freedom lumped parameter system with a free-play non-linearity [less ▲]

A range of steels is normally industrially available. The question here is to identify those which are most suitable for thixoforming and to adapt the composition to maximise the chances of success. In ... [more ▼]

A range of steels is normally industrially available. The question here is to identify those which are most suitable for thixoforming and to adapt the composition to maximise the chances of success. In this chapter, the influence of alloying elements on the solidus and liquidus temperatures and on the thixoforming window is identified. Some case studies for low and medium carbon steels are given. Thermophysical properties are important for processing and some information is given on the characterisation of these. High carbon chromium steels are another class of steels which are potentially of use. The effect of modifying the Mn and Si content of such steels is described. Thermodynamic prediction is a powerful tool and results from such studies are given. There is then an analysis of the influence of micro-segregation, which results from the original hot rolling, and its interaction with heating speed during the reheating for thixoforming. [less ▲]

Four species of adult Carapini (Carapidae) occur on Polynesian coral reefs: Encheliophis gracilis, Carapus boraborensis, C. homei and C. mourlani. Samples collected in Rangiroa and Moorea allowed us to obtain different tenuis (larvae) during their settlement phases or directly inside their hosts. These were separated into four lots on the basis of a combination of pigmentation, meristic, morphological, dental and otolith (sagittae) features. Comparison of these characters with those of the adults allows, for the first time, taxonomic identification of these tenuis-stage larvae. [less ▲]

A 37LRP/p40 polypeptide is of major interest because it is consistently up-regulated in cancer cells in correlation with their invasive and metastatic phenotype. Furthermore, this polypeptide presents ... [more ▼]

A 37LRP/p40 polypeptide is of major interest because it is consistently up-regulated in cancer cells in correlation with their invasive and metastatic phenotype. Furthermore, this polypeptide presents intriguing multifunctional properties because it has been characterized as the precursor of the metastasis-associated 67-kD laminin receptor (67LR) and as a cytoplasmic ribosomal-associated protein. The isolation of the 37LRP/p40 gene is a prerequisite for identifying the molecular mechanisms responsible for the constant up-regulation of the 67LR expression in cancer cells. To date, the active 37LRP/p40 gene has never been identified in any species due to the existence of multiple pseudogenes in most vertebrates genomes. In this study, we report for the first time the gene structure and potential regulatory sequences of the 37 LRP/p40 gene. The chicken genome was selected to undergo this characterization because it is the only known vertebrate that bears a single 37 LRP/p40 gene copy. The 37 LRP/p40 active gene is composed of 7 exons and 6 introns and bears features characteristic of a ribosomal protein gene. It does not bear a classical TATA box and it exhibits several transcription initiation sites as demonstrated by RNase protection assay and primer extension. Analysis of potential regulatory regions suggests that gene expression is driven not only by the 5' genomic region but also by the 5' untranslated and intron 1 sequences. On the basis of gene structure and extensive protein evolutionary study, we found that the carboxyterminal domain of the protein is a conserved lock-and-key structure/function domain that could be involved in the biosynthesis of the higher-molecular-weight 67-kD laminin receptor in vertebrates, whereas the central core of the protein would be responsible for the ribosome associated function. The first identification of the active 37LRP/p40 gene presented in this study is a critical step toward the isolation of the corresponding human gene and the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the up-regulation of its expression during tumor invasion and metastasis. [less ▲]